Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat: Ella Fitzgerald

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Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat: Ella Fitzgerald was written by Roxane Orgill. This book has 48 pages and it was published in August 24th 2010 by Candlewick Press. Roxane Orgill is an award-winning writer on music and the author of Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph, illustrated by Francis Vallejo (Candlewick Press). JAZZ DAY earned six starred reviews and won The Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Best Picture Book in 2016. Orgill has written several biographies for young readers, including Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat: Ella Fitzgerald and Footwork: The Story of Fred and Adele Astaire (Candlewick). [1]

Summary

The story tells about a singer named Ella Fitzgerald who danced the Lindy Hop on the streets of 1930s Yonkers, passersby said good-bye to their loose change. But for a girl who was orphaned and hungry, with raggedy clothes and often no place to spend the night, small change was not enough. One amateur night at Harlem’s Apollo Theater, Ella made a discovery: the dancing beat in her feet could travel up and out of her mouth in a powerful song —and the feeling of being listened to was like a salve to her heart. With lively prose, Roxane Orgill follows the gutsy Ella from school-girl days to a featured spot with Chick Webb’s band and all the way to her number-one radio hit "A-Tisket, A-Tasket." Jazzy mixed-media art by illustrator Sean Qualls brings the singer’s indomitable spirit to life. [2]

Pros

Good Reader's members wrote their opinion on their site, the revealed that Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat's illustrations and rhythmic language provide movement to the story, the way Ella could infuse her singing with that swing beat and get people dancing. A picture-book format makes a biography more inviting, but some young readers may find this text a bit demanding in terms of background knowledge. It is a musical bio of the very talented Ella Fitzgerald. The bio shows a girl with big dreams, but with small pockets. It gives the reader the detailed version of how this musical sensation had no money, no place to rest her head, but a determination like no other. ould be a good book for music teachers to read to the kiddos, and then play Ella's music. Ella's story is also one of great determination. Stories of people rising up from a tough childhood. It's good for kids to know that their dreams can come true. [1]

Publishers Weekly wrote that Qualls (Dizzy) creates spreads that reflect the propulsive trajectory of Fitzgerald’s life in an age when everybody was dancing; successive portraits show her turning page by page into a star. [3]

A reviewed was made by Barrie Advance, he explained that the pictures are wonderfully evocative of the Depression Era and their colour and line-drawn simplicity will appeal to littler children, but the narrative in this book is too long for squirmy picture-book fans. That same lengthy narrative is just right for older children, but the pictures may be perceived as too toddler-ish. [4]

A compilation of comments came from Library Thing's members, they describe that this book is an inspiring story about how Fitzgerald never gave up her dream of using her talent to escape poverty. It is told in a tone that is informative but still very playful so that kids will also be interested in Fitzgerald's rise to fame. Not only do you learn about her early struggles, the author transports the readers to the 1930s with rich descriptions of life in Harlem during this time. This biography about Ella Fitzgerald shed light on her life story in a very positive and interesting way. This book teaches the readers to learn many things about Fitzgerald. It was a very easy yet sophisticated read. [5]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat: Ella Fitzgerald. Retrieved February 11th, 2021
  2. Skit-scat Raggedy Cat: Ella Fitzgerald. Retrieved February 11th, 2021
  3. Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat: Ella Fitzgerald. Retrieved February 11th, 2021
  4. Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat: Ella Fitzgerald by Barrie Advance. Retrieved February 11th, 2021
  5. Scat Raggedy Cat: Ella Fitzgerald by Barrie Advance. Retrieved February 11th, 2021